PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic isn’t considered one of the best at his position, though he’s certainly better than his 21st-place finish. HoopsHype by center rankings ahead of the 2024-25 season.
“When the Suns waived Ayton, they brought in veteran Jusuf Nurkic to replace him in the starting five, and Nurkic filled in well in his first season with the team, averaging a double-double while doing well as a playmaker and shot blocker,” Frank Urbina said.
“Still, Phoenix has struggled this year, largely due to the lack of a pure point guard on its roster, something the team addressed this summer by adding Tyus Jones and Monte Morris to the rotation. Perhaps those additions will help Nurkic focus less on his elbow play and more on finishing around the rim.”
The Suns originally acquired Nurkic as part of the Deandre Ayton trade last offseason, and while Nurkic’s game isn’t exactly great in the scoring department, he’s considered a valuable distributor and is considered one of the best rebounders in the game.
NBA MVP Nikola Jokic praised Nurkic after the Suns’ battle with the Nuggets last season.
“He was young here – I think he was still trying to figure it out [things] and find himself. I think he had a great 5 or 6 years in Portland. And now he’s a perfect fit for them. [Suns]”, Jokic said last season.
“He can defend very well. He’s a big guy who can, probably in some situations, go from first to fifth. He’s a monster on the ice. I think he’s a great fit for them and he plays his part.”
When asked if Nurkic was there for some of the toughest matchups he’s had:
“Certainly up there. I think of him, probably, Joel [Embiid]Steven Adams, I don’t want to leave anyone out, but those three are kind of the best ones that come to mind.
Our own Kevin Hicks wrote the following on How Nurkic can make or break Phoenix’s season:
“Nurkic is more or less a finished product in several categories — he’s one of the NBA’s best rebounders, a below-average finisher, a good screener and a leg injury that prevents him from being a force as a basket protector in the playoffs — despite a good grade in that department during the regular season,” Hicks wrote.
“On the other hand, Nurkic has appeared to be in much better shape this summer in clips that have been shared on social media, as well as the obvious trend of him frequently working on his jump shot.
“Nurkic shot 40% from three-point range in 2020-21 (on low volume) and 36.1% in 2022-23 with increased volume.
“He took a step back last season, shooting just 24.4 percent on 1.2 attempts per night, but we think Coach Budenholzer can turn him into something of what Brook Lopez was during his time in Milwaukee.”
Nurkic looks to once again anchor the Suns’ center position in 2024-25, and while he’s not widely regarded as one of the best at his position, Nurkic still provides a valuable presence in the paint.
